Kane’s Absence Hurt England in Defeat to Japan, Says Tuchel

Reuters

11:25 JST, April 1, 2026

LONDON, March 31 (Reuters) – England can succeed without Harry Kane but it is easier to win when he is in the team, manager Thomas Tuchel said after his side lost limply at home without their injured talismanic captain.

Bayern Munich’s prolific striker was ruled out of Tuesday’s friendly against Japan at Wembley due to an injury in training the day before.

Without him, England offered little up front and lost 1-0 in their last game on home soil before the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

“In the absence of Harry Kane we don’t have the same threat, Bayern Munich in the absence of Harry Kane has not the same threat, no team in the world has the same threat, it’s just normal,” said Tuchel.

“Top teams rely on top players and top nations rely on top players, that’s just absolutely normal.

“Harry dropped out so we lost not only him as a player, we lost him as a personality; it’s always a bit disrupting if the captain leaves the last training after 15 minutes and is out of the squad.”

Tuchel, whose side qualified comfortably for the finals and have lost only twice since he took charge, said the absence of a string of first-choice players was key on an experimental evening.

Those missing included Manchester City defender John Stones, Arsenal pair Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, and Brentford’s Jordan Henderson — senior players who Tuchel referred to as his “leadership group”.

“It affected us because it’s normal, they are the players who carry the quality, carry the momentum on their shoulder,” said Tuchel.

“We can win games without Harry, we will win without Harry, we have won without Harry, but it’s easier to win matches with Harry.”

The German, who will announce his squad in May, said watching television at weekends would be “scary” for the next couple of months.

“From now on every muscle injury can mean that a player misses out,” he said, adding that he expected all those currently injured to have enough time to be ready for the tournament.

“But from now on, the next eight weeks, I’m concerned of course and I hope that everything goes well for the players.”